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Bill

HF 3295

Open Meeting Law; meeting broadcasting through social media authorized.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jimmy Gordon and 2 co-sponsors

Authorizes Minnesota public bodies to livestream government meetings on social media platforms to expand public access beyond physical attendance.

Referred to State and Local Government
#openmeetings #telecommunicationsandinformationtechnology
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Bill Summary · HF 3295

Legislative bill overview

HF 3295 amends Minnesota's Open Meeting Law to explicitly authorize the broadcasting of public meetings through social media platforms. Currently, the law requires meetings to be open to the public but does not specifically address or permit streaming to online audiences. This bill clarifies that public bodies may use social media channels to transmit live meetings.

Why is this important

The bill addresses a practical gap between existing open meeting requirements and modern communication methods. As public participation increasingly occurs online, explicitly authorizing social media broadcasting removes potential legal ambiguity and encourages broader public access to government proceedings beyond physical attendance—particularly benefiting citizens with mobility limitations, work conflicts, or geographic distance from meeting locations.

Potential points of contention

  • Recording and archival obligations: Unclear whether agencies must maintain permanent archives of social media broadcasts or comply with records retention laws for deleted posts
  • Platform dependence and access equity: Relying on social media companies' infrastructure could create barriers for citizens without accounts or those in areas with limited internet access
  • Comment and participation rights: Ambiguity about whether social media comment sections constitute official public comment periods or whether traditional in-person participation rights are fully preserved

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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